Process for retaining moisture in cooked food with a peptide

Abstract

A peptide composition derived from a protein composition when added to uncooked food effects moisture retention during cooking of the food. The peptide composition is derived from a dry protein mixture or an aqueous acidic protein solution which, in turn, is derived from animal muscle tissue. The peptide composition is added to uncooked poultry, meat or fish prior to cooking. The dry protein mixture and aqueous acidic protein solution comprise myofibrillar proteins and sarcoplasmic proteins substantially free of myofibrils and sarcomeres.

1. The process for retaining moisture in uncooked food during cooking of the food which comprises:
 (a) adding to said uncooked food 0.03 to 15% by weight of an additive selected from the group consisting of (a) a peptide mixture prepared by mixing an enzyme with a protein mixture selected from the group consisting of an aqueous acidic protein solution, having a pH of about 3.5 or less, of myofibrillar proteins and sarcoplasmic proteins derived from animal muscle tissue, a dry protein mixture of myofibrillar proteins and sarcoplasmic proteins derived from animal muscle tissue obtained by drying said aqueous acidic protein solution, and mixtures thereof, and (b) the peptide mixture of (a) mixed with a protein mixture selected from the group consisting of an aqueous acidic protein solution, having a pH of about 3.5 or of myofibrillar proteins and sarcoplasmic proteins derived from animal muscle tissue, a dry protein mixture of myofibrillar proteins and sarcoplasmic proteins derived from animal muscle tissue obtained by drying said aqueous acidic protein solution, and mixtures thereof said adding occurring by a method selected from the group consisting of applying said additive to at least one surface of said uncooked food, mixing said additive with said uncooked food, injecting said additive into said uncooked food and a combination of at least two of said adding methods, 
 and (b) cooking said uncooked food and additive from step (a). 
 
     
     
       2. The process of  claim 1  wherein said additive is applied to at least one surface of said uncooked food. 
     
     
       3. The process of  claim 1  wherein said additive is applied to all surfaces of said uncooked food. 
     
     
       4. The process of  claim 1  wherein said additive is mixed with said uncooked food. 
     
     
       5. The process of any one of  claims 1  or  4  wherein said food comprises animal muscle tissue included in a sausage composition. 
     
     
       6. The process of  claim 5  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       7. The process of any one of  claims 1  or  4  wherein said food comprises animal muscle tissue included in a hot dog composition. 
     
     
       8. The process of  claim 7  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       9. The process of any one of  claims 2 ,  3  or  4  wherein said additive is mixed with a food additive selected form the group consisting of a breading, a batter, a spice dry rub, cracker meal and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       10. The process of  claim 9  wherein said protein mixture is substantially free of animal membrane lipids. 
     
     
       11. The process of  claim 10  wherein said food is fish. 
     
     
       12. The process of  claim 11  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       13. The process of  claim 10  wherein said food is shellfish. 
     
     
       14. The process of  claim 13  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       15. The process of  claim 10  wherein said food is poultry. 
     
     
       16. The process of  claim 15  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       17. The process of  claim 10  wherein said food is meat. 
     
     
       18. The process of  claim 17  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       19. The process of  claim 10  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       20. The process of  claim 9  wherein said uncooked food is fish. 
     
     
       21. The process of  claim 20  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       22. The process of  claim 9  wherein said uncooked food is shellfish. 
     
     
       23. The process of  claim 22  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       24. The process of  claim 9  wherein said food is poultry. 
     
     
       25. The process of  claim 24  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       26. The process of  claim 9  wherein said food is meat. 
     
     
       27. The process of  claim 26  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       28. The process of  claim 9  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       29. The process of  claim 1  wherein said additive is injected into said uncooked food. 
     
     
       30. The process of any one of  claims 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  or  29  wherein said uncooked food is fish. 
     
     
       31. The process of  claim 30  wherein said protein mixture is substantially free of animal membrane lipids. 
     
     
       32. The process of  claim 31  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       33. The process of  claim 30  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       34. The process of any one of  claims 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  or  29  wherein said uncooked food is shell fish. 
     
     
       35. The process of  claim 34  wherein said shellfish is shrimp. 
     
     
       36. The process of  claim 35  wherein said protein mixture is substantially free of animal membrane lipids. 
     
     
       37. The process of  claim 36  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       38. The process of  claim 35  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2. 5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       39. The process of  claim 34  wherein said protein mixture is substantially free of animal membrane lipids. 
     
     
       40. The process of  claim 39  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       41. The process of  claim 34  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       42. The process of  claims 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  or  29  wherein said uncooked food is poultry. 
     
     
       43. The process of  claim 42  wherein said uncooked poultry is selected from the group consisting of turkey, duck, goose, game bird and chicken. 
     
     
       44. The process of  claim 43  wherein said protein mixture is substantially free of animal membrane lipids. 
     
     
       45. The process of  claim 44  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       46. The process of  claim 43  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       47. The process of  claim 42  wherein said protein mixture is substantially free of animal membrane lipids. 
     
     
       48. The process of  claim 47  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       49. The process of  claim 42  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       50. The process of any one of  claims 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  or  29  wherein said uncooked food is meat. 
     
     
       51. The process of  claim 50  wherein said protein mixture is substantially free of animal membrane lipids. 
     
     
       52. The process of  claim 51  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH s between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       53. The process of  claim 50  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       54. The process of  claim 50  wherein said uncooked meat is selected from the group consisting of ham, beef, lamb, pork, veal, buffalo and venison. 
     
     
       55. The process of  claim 54  wherein said protein mixture is substantially free of animal membrane lipids. 
     
     
       56. The process of  claim 55  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       57. The process of  claim 54  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       58. The process of any one of  claims 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  or  29  wherein said additive is formed from a mixture of myofibrillar proteins and sarcoplasmic proteins derived from fish muscle tissue. 
     
     
       59. The process of  claim 58  wherein said protein mixture is substantially free of animal membrane lipids. 
     
     
       60. The process of  claim 59  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       61. The process of  claim 58  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       62. The process of any one of  claims 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  or  29  wherein said additive is formed from a mixture of myofibrillar proteins and sarcoplasmic proteins derived from poultry muscle tissue. 
     
     
       63. The process of  claim 62  wherein said protein mixture is substantially free of animal membrane lipids. 
     
     
       64. The process of  claim 63  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       65. The process of  claim 62  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       66. The process of any one of  claims 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  or  29  wherein said additive is formed from a mixture of myofibrillar proteins and sarcoplasmic proteins derived from meat muscle tissue. 
     
     
       67. The process of  claim 66  wherein said additive is formed from a mixture of myofibrillar proteins and sarcoplasmic proteins derived from meat muscle tissue selected from the group consisting of beef, lamb, pork and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       68. The process of  claim 67  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       69. The process of  claim 66  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       70. The process of any one of  claims 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  or  29  wherein said protein mixture is substantially free of animal membrane lipids. 
     
     
       71. The process of  claim 70  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and 3.5. 
     
     
       72. The process of  claim 1  wherein said additive is a dry peptide mixture derived from a protein mixture of myofibrillar proteins and sarcoplasmic proteins derived from animal muscle tissue. 
     
     
       73. The process of  claim 1  wherein said additive is an aqueous acidic peptide solution prepared by mixing an enzyme with a protein mixture of myofibrillar proteins and sarcoplasmic proteins derived from animal muscle tissue. 
     
     
       74. The process of any one of  claims 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  29 ,  72  or  73  wherein said aqueous acidic protein solution has a pH between about 2.5 and about 3.5.